Discussing Controversial Issues Affecting The British Chinese Community UK

Friday, 17 February 2012

Youtube British Born Chinese

Youtube Video Culture: British Born Chinese or Asian?

BBC Youtube video culture is relatively new. As we know Asian American Youtube culture has been around since 2006, but now BBCs have taken to the idea - under the guise of being 'Asian' rather than BBC.

Asian in the UK means South Asians . i.e Indian, Pakistani's.

Asian in America basically means the same as pan-Asian, anyone of Asian descent. Indian's as an ethnicity also fall under Asian American because of India's geographical location -which in Asia.

Pan-Asian, is an expression of cross-Asian ethnic political, cultural unity

Soif BBCs are now calling themselves 'Asian', what exactly are they implying?

Take a look at these Youtube performers- the first is a Canadian Vietnamese.

The Chengman

The next three are BBC.

Chungj5

The Fellow Yellow

rikehtube ( brother of bubzbeauty)

Are BBCS trying to reclaim the word from the South Asian's? Are BBCS trying to Express pan-Asian unity? Or are BBCS simply jumping on the Asian American cultural wagon instead of developing a BBC culture? And if so, is this a good idea?

27 comments:

Perhaps clarification of the article is required, maybe you should have written something along the lines of this in your article...

Asian in the UK means South Asians . i.e Indian, Pakistani's etc.

Asian in America basically means the same as pan-Asian, anyone of Asian descent. Indian's as an ethnicity also fall under Asian American because of India's geographical location -which in Asia.

Pan-Asian, (if I'm not mistaken, although I maybe wrong) is an expression of cross-Asian ethnic political, cultural (etc) unity

So if BBC call themselves Asian, what exactly are they implying? Are they trying to reclaim the word from the South Asian's? Are they trying to Express pan-Asian unity? Or are they simply jumping on the Asian American cultural wagon?

I wonder whether any of you lot have even lived in the U.S for a long enough period of time to even understand the issues that affect Asian Americans specifically? Or even care?

Creating an honest culture is based on examining issues in the history of it's development and creating something new in the light of that, but that BBC'ers choose to ignore those issues and become adopt superficial americanisation, says it all.

Also you thought the use of the word 'chink' on the gok wan article was 'over-thinking.' - right?

Since the modern generation of British Born Chinese have no real cultural legacy in the UK to follow, copying the Asian Americans is perhaps the only choice they have. Incidently, the yellowfellow replied to your article on youtube, he's not a BBC! Partly explains it, he calls himself British Asian, which why doesn't he call himself British Chinese instead of British Asian (who are Indians, Pakistanis etc)? Most likely its an influential mix of British multiculturalism and pan-asian Asian americanism and also not knowing correct racial terminology.

Fair enough. Anyway, Im not doing the usual bash the two young BBC youtubers, actually fair play to them both for actually doing something and creating videos, which is about time, and is basically what im advocating - a BBC culture.

But re: no real cultural legacy...all the BBC news on this blog. Its considered 'negative' is it?

But to me, thats the source of our culture - all this uniquely british anti-Chinese racism - the hapas, the FOBS. yes maybe noone wants to touch it or talk about it because its considered 'taboo' and we Chinese love to avoid conflict if we can help it.

But thats another issue I have - Chinese put up with so much shit, we should address it creatively - music, performance art .

This is something I dont see Asian Americans do so much. They do all the 'life is great' stuff that most regular BBCs like. And as we know Chinese hate confrontation.

But I think BBCS, at least the few who post on this board, are intelligent, incisive, have unique points of view..critical thought and raw. This is what it means to be British Born Chinese. This is the advantage of being British Born - developing a critical ability to think and be real rather than glamourise.

We need THIS side to our culture as well as the life is good stuff. Because without it, our culture would not have any depth.

And I remember one guy on the facebook board - he started arguing with me saying that BBCS dont need a political voice. And i said that political and cultural are one and the same. And to be fair in his young and impressionable mind he was probably associating it an old man talking crap which sums up most politicians.

But now Jeremy Lin has been called a Chink. What about the BBCS on here who didnt give a shit about the word chink and said we should 'relax'- do they still think the same?

Unless you have a political backbone your culture is meaningless. Its called being REAL. Something BBCs love to throw that word around skittishly but to embrace that realness, thats something thats actually worth its weight and is made of something substantial other than ....just fluff.

Look at the first video i put up of the Chengman. The reason I put that video there is the aggressive male pride. Okay so he can run around naked in public because the areas he visits are Chinese-population heavy.

Chinese males in the media are constantly seen as desexualised.Thats why Jeremy Lin is getting so much attention- its obviously more than just basketball, at a deeper level its because he's a masculine western born Chinese celebrity.

We need a male BBC version. Once we have that, then okay if people dont want to pay attention to the anti-Chinese issues on this blog and consider it 'overthinking' then so be it. Either way we need quantity. Once we have that, then BBCS have something genuinely worth celebrating.

I believe this is a uniquely British thing, with a hint of Americanisation going on. Let me explain.

Like with all things British, they - we - like to do things differently. See Myanmar for example, we call that Burma. Britain's past history with South Asia and various nearby countries have meant Britain calling Asians means exactly the above - Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis etc... see the BBC Asian Network, 99% South Asian content, though there was ONE series by Madame Miaow, a British Chinese lady who raises up British Chinese issues in her blog. She's one lady to be proud of.

Anyway, it doesn't help matters that recently (for a few years) BBC have started dropping Asian when referring to Chinese related articles... casually swapping Chinese/Japanese etc. with "Asian", just to confuse us further. Either that... or

Americanisation. If you go around the world, not just North America, we are referred to as Asians. Not Oriental. Not Chinese. Not Far Eastern or East Asian. Just Asian. Ask a non Chinese in Singapore, Australia, South America what we are. Asian, most likely (the polite answer anyway). I can't help but feel that this is due to ethnic Chinese reading and being influenced by US press and media more and more, so instead of being Chinese or Japanese 9country_, or even East Asian (region) we are simply Asian - we have been generalised into 1 of 3 billion. The power of US media.

So yes, when you have a FOB Chinese immigrant who gradually becomes British by staying here for a while, they are still confused over the terminology, because everywhere else s/he is Asian, but now s/he associates themselves with a different community entirely.

Without a doubt. I had never heard of a Chinese person calling themselves Asian in the UK until Youtube and social networking came to the forefront in the noughties thats when I started receiving jokey questionnaires entitled... “How Asian are you?” or “You know you’re Asian when.....” ....you spend hours downloading Asian drama etc.”

These lists were created by Asian Americans and found their way to the UK via the internet. Pan-Asian culture is also something that grew around the same time, but I don't think it works too well in the UK as we don't have the same level of East Asian diversity in terms of numbers. British Jap's and Koreans are tiny in number the UK and don't mix with Chinese.

‘Asian’ in having multiple meanings or usage, in this case is also used colloquially to mean East Asian/Oriental too.... as ‘East Asian’ is now the replacement term for ‘oriental’ (considered un-pc), however no one uses the term ‘East Asian,’ have you ever heard a Chinese call themselves East Asian in the UK?

Exactly - the internet is responsible for Asian American-isms and has created this short-cut mentality. In American it was called Azn-pride that started way back in 2000 in american and seems to reinvent itself every 10 years.

Yes Its nice to be part of something bigger, but as BBCS are the biggest majority in the UK with Korean and Japanese born/FOBS keeping to themselves, and probably not mixing with BBCS we need our own BBC pride first.

How can you be proud of a whole East-Asian sector when you have no confidence in your own Chinese culture?

If you think about it, if Asian Americans are so compelled to joke about their race and do "if you're asian" memes, then the white media have done a perfect job in isolating and pointing out to these AMERICANS that they are not really "normal" Americans. The very fact that they bring up race, even without the associated stereotypes, is enough to tell Asian Americans "hey, you're DIFFERENT... and this is how". Naturally, as Asian Americans only know the white media, they thought this was normal, and from them on mocked their own race just to be more accepted into their OWN COUNTRY'S society. I'm sure it follows the same pattern n Britain.

Imagine that, having to make a mockery of your own race, even to the extent of the AsianAmerican/British Chinese bringing up their own race in conversation* just to fit in.In a way that is tied in with Chinese women flocking to white men - acceptance.

*You might have come across it in life... Chinese who are so race concious of their own race that they voluntarily bring it up in conversations with other races, mainly white e.g. "we have to get through these accounts quickly"

"I'm Chinese, I'm good at maths so won't be a problem"

thus perpetuating racial stereotypes AND indicating to whites that it isn't a problem to bring up race if you're Chinese.

^ I think you are talking about sellouts or self haters. The whole white is normal thing thing is here too in the UK, white acceptance.

I dont think all BBCS are necessarily that, I just think some may need to question the nature of what they are embracing when they call themselves 'asian'

If Modern British Born Chinese understood the politics of Asian America, they wouldnt adopt it, because as you say Asian Americans have their own problems.

Its because modern BBCs want to escape from the idea of being born in Britain especially economic torn britain, and being Chinese which is just takeaway lifestyle and displinarian parents. They see the Asian American internet escapism as glamorous, replacement culture but unfortunately, its not genuine.

Truth is unless British Born Chinese take the time to discover what is a genuine BBC culture - yes genuine can mean good , sexy, fun, bad, nice, horrible,as long as its truthful then we may as well be whites with yellow skin because we have no cultural identity, no conversation pieces, just...nothing.

If anything we can discover our cultural roots first and then assimilate the americanisms later. If theres anything I know about youth of today, its that they want or at least should want, truth and justice in a corrupt world. Because if truth is a foundation for future happiness, prosperity etc, if BBC'ers are the same... why lie to yourself? The truth is Chinese pride. And combining the best of that and the way you see it,musically, artistically, and embrace it with your british realness. That's if you want a positive non-sugarcoated answer.

On a separate note, but still slightly related... on a global political level its CHINA that gets all the attention, CHINA that gets all the demonising, because its CHINA that doesnt kiss arse of the western elitists.

Korea Japan Taiwan and even HK all had their share of white privelege-isms and western colonisation, so therefore thats another reason why we should express our pride to be ethnically CHINESE and not ASIAN first, because its CHINA not ASIA that will create peace in a war-hungry elitist world.

yeah I don't get that at all, compare what white countries (even European ones, as part of NATO) and the conflicts they have been in, with China, and it's shocking to see how much war mongering white nations really are. Yet still the white populace have the audacity to lecture others about being peaceful. It's like they are so far up their own arses they can't see reality.

That the West/NATO are warmongering hypocrites, does not mean that you should automatically choose to 'support' China. China is hardly peaceful - look at its treatment of journalists, political dissidents, democracy advocates and inhumane working conditions (yes, making things for western companies, but made legal by Chinese law).

(And, no, I'm not a self-hating Chinese, before anyone throws that accusation at me)

@BBC ALex ,in comparing Chinese working conditions made legal by Chinese law as being equally bad as imperialist international divide and conquer warmongering, you have some skewered opinions of peace.

If not self-hating, with your supposed justified China-bashing talk and justified chink slur you come across to me as a complete sell-out.

Either that or just some white troll, which case you probably need deleting.

I strongly disagree with the Iraq war, and even the recent NATO intervention in Libya. But, I also disagree with China's jailing of political non-conformists and jailing of journalists - and so do many in non-mainland Chinese areas like Hong Kong and Taiwan. It is not a contradictory position to take - criticising China is not synonymous with supporting US imperialism (yes, I have read Chomsky).

I'm not China bashing, I'm merely pointing out that China is hardly a great example of a 'peaceful' country.

Also, I'm saddened that you would play the race card and 'accuse' me of being white. Of course, it's not possible for a 'Chinese' to disagree with another Chinese, is it? I must be white. The Hong Kongers who protest every year against 6/4 must be white.

The original debate is secular - Chinese v Chinese, we have secular debates most of the time, however when we have a White vs Chinese debate, as it was switched, we need to be careful, as a minority in the west if we attack China to a white audience. In similar fashion to the invasion of Iraq etc, Muslim's were not openly supporting the US/UK even though liberation would arguably benefit the Iraqi people long time. Muslims support a Muslim solution, not a western solution. China recently vetoed the US back Sec Council over Syria and backed an Arab League solution instead.

However I criticise Chinese/China all the time as a secular Chinese debate. Hong Kong can protest all they like about 6/4, its secular Chinese issue to them, just like Locust v Dog is a secular debate.

Indeed by virtue of defending/promoting/expressing China/Chinese pride does not mean its synonymous with supporting human rights abuse in China either.

The difference is that I have not read any comment from you that criticises Non-ethnic Chinese nor support Chinese in 'Chinese vs White' issues, instead you post these bland comments denying all forms of racism by Whites on Chinese as non-racist, trivial etc, which are very 'white' comments to make.

Is BBC Alex one those yorkie bar supporters?, anyway glad people can see through it. If trolls real point is taking the mick on the sly to BBCs, or to undermine BBC discussion, this BBC blog and BBC bloggers with real BBC interests. good to remove or edit them unless they have a point, which i don't it has. This is best BBC blog going I think is progressive and the topics raised are the ones I thinking aswell, I don't it be spoilt by trolls.

Maybe this is a new culture. just cos it has similarities with American Asian culture, why is it less legitimate. Can you start posting a video and provide some suggestions? So what if the BBC culture is something YOU guys don't like?

When BBCZeitgeist makes a youtube video and provides US with a real alternative, a BBC culture that is relevant to an already culturally diverse BBC body, then maybe I'll listen.

Start reading more about real issues that affect British Chinese community, and use that as material rather the usual juvenile wannabe asian american lite crap that is put on youtube to pander to white and multicultural audiences.